Excessive or dysfunctional uterine bleeding often arises from a hormonal imbalance, a systemic disease or anatomical abnormality such as fibroids, polyps or other growths. Invasive surgical treatments such as hysterectomies as well as significantly less drastic procedures are complex and expensive and often involve significant discomfort and complications. Furthermore, available non-surgical procedures including medication and hormone therapies are often insufficient.
A common, less invasive alternative is ablation of the lining of the uterus. In hydro-thermal ablation (HTA), heated saline solution is applied against targeted portions of the endometrial lining through a hysteroscope inserted through the cervix. The endometrial lining may also be ablated by applying a cryogenic fluid, electromagnetic energy or a chemically ablative agent.
The users of conventional ablation devices must monitor pressure and temperature of the saline and the status of surgical tools used, increasing the complexity and cost of the procedures. Furthermore, these devices are not well designed for interaction with related components and may be difficult to integrate into a procedure as a whole.